The ACT Greens have today written to the ACT’s Labor MPs expressing grave concerns about the Religious Discrimination Bill before the Federal Parliament and its impacts on Canberrans and people across Australia.
The letter (attached) urges all of the ACT’s Labor MPs to vote against this bill, which would override State and Territory protections, reduce access to justice, and impact a large number of people within the community, including women, disabled people, multicultural communities, First Nations peoples and LGBTQI+ communities.
“A so-called anti-discrimination bill that legitimates and legalises prejudice would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous, and Canberra’s kind, compassionate, thoughtful community has a reasonable expectation that our MPs will stand up against it.”
“If even moderate Liberals are threatening to cross the floor and vote against this bill, then Canberrans have a right to expect their local Labor MPs to do the same,” Tim Hollo, Candidate for Canberra, said today.
Note: The Public Interest Advocacy Centre in their submission on the Bill provided a comprehensive breakdown of the BIll, and noted:
The Religious Discrimination Bill is a radical departure from existing antidiscrimination law principles and norms. If passed, it would undermine the rights of women, LGBTI people, people with disability and people of minority faiths to live their lives free from discrimination. It is excessively complicated and contains a range of novel provisions that seek to privilege religious views over other rights in ways that will corrode, rather than build, tolerance and harmony.
